Skewer block



JUL 13, 1931. M. DzlEDzlc ETAL. 1,788,991

SKEWER BLOCK Filed Dec. 20,.;928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 j As' Omy,

Jan. 13, 1931. M. DziEDzlc E-r AL 1,788,991

sKEwER BLoK Filed Dec. 2o, 192s s sheets-sheet 2 Jan- 13, 1931. M. DzlEDzlc ET ALy 1,788,991

sKEwER BLOCK Filed Dec.' 20, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Janis, 1931 `'UNITED' s'rATEs PATENT OFFICE NICHOLAS DZI'EDZIC AND JOHN E. COVEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO SWIFT & COLIPANY, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SKEWER BLOCK Application led Decemberl20, Iii-28.*. Serial No. 327,276.

This invention relates to an Iimprovedv bacon skewer, device for shaping and crowding the sides of bacon into the desired, substantially rectangular form. The main objects of this invention are t provide a power-driven, shaping device of ble compressing members having a defined course of movement for shaping sides of bacon; to provide pneumatic actuating mechanism for automatically effecting preliminary extension of the slide bars and sub-` sequent movement thereof towards each other for avoiding the occurrence of irregular formations on the edges of the side of bacon and for effecting preliminaryretraction of the extensible elements of the compressing members-and subsequent outward movement @of the latten after the shaping operation, to avoid confliction between the slide bars. and a bacon hanger `lwhich 1s genis compressed, andto provide self-adjusting,

'end-forming", means vhaving a 'limited' 'y ivotal movement for adapting' itv` of bacon -cut froml dom of to form t e end of aside either sideiof a" hog; 1 'i Y l A11 illustrative embodiment of our inven-l tion is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which.: i

vFigure 1 is afrontfelevation. l Fig. 2 isa fragmentary topplan.

Fig."3 is a section of /F1g.1. 'e' ,il 'Fig. 4 is a; Sectioii'ltaken ontheline o` f l 1`1g. 1.- i. Fig. '5- is a fralgmentary section taken on spective of aco pressing irrieinber..-'.

The above objects'are attained by I re'ans of the device illustrated in the accompanyi which show a,- table having ing drawings, extensiblegfs/ide bars or compressing memslide bars; Pivotal 4irio'veinent of the end-` bers is operativel pedal byneans o which it may be opened 1 and'closed andthe valve associated with the taken on the lined-f3 forming element is limited by upright pins which allow the same to pivot substantially p an equal amount in both directions.

Each compressing member comprises a vertical portion, a horizontal portion and an lextensible element slidably mounted on the former. A rack bar is fixed to the bottom side of each horizontal portion of the compressing members by spaeed bolts and is located below the' surface of the table.

. Actuating mechanism, comprising two cylinders arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially in alinement, is mounted on the front end of the table. Each cylinder is equipped with a separate and independent piston andpiston rod.

The compressing members are operatively connected with pneumatic actuating mechanism comprising two separate cylinders and pistons, one for extendin and retracting the compressing members an the other for moving the same togetherand apart for crowdin the edge portions of a side of bacon. erally attached to the bacon while the'latter.

, e pipe system through which `a coinpressedmedium, preferably air, is supplied to the cylinders comprises a two-way` valve foreach cylinder for alternatively admitting compressed air to the top and bottom thereof..- The fvalve that admits compressed air to the cylinder. containing the piston that extends and retracts the com ressing memconnecte with a foot other, cylinder is operatively connected with the piv n rod othe first-mentioned cylinderimsuch amanner as to cause the comthe extensiblefelements thereof have been projected agidtI be urged apart after said extensible/elements" hijgve been retracted.

. Y A. thir' 'f valve isz-provided in the' eemvpressed, air distributing system 'for' exhaustin ,gsome of the-air to reduce the pressure thereof and correspondingly reduce the coinpressing for'cfal of .the compressing members.

Thisfvalve isaetuated a foot lever havingr its bottomeiid-located iiiI close proximity to pressing members to be moved together atter the footpedal, so'that both thegjpe'dal l and the lever may bemov'ed at the same time;

In the forms shown in the drawings, the table 1, or Supporting structure, is provided .with spaced, slidably mounted, compressing members, comprising a vertical portion 2 andl a horizontal portion 3. The horizontal portion 3 is provided on its bottom side with a rack bar 4 having a projection 5 o n its upper side which extends into slots formed in the table 1 for guiding the movement of the compressing members'. A carriage 6 is slidably mounted on the table, or supporting .'structure, below the top thereof. This carriage comprises a frame having spaced sidemembers which are slidably engaged in slots formed in the angle irons 7 and 8, as shown in Fig. 4. Stopping means, comprising a metal strip 9 having flanges on its forward and` rearward extremities, are secured to the bottom of the side portions of the carriage in position to abutt against the angle mem-` bers 7 and 8 for limiting the forward and rearward movements'respectively of the carriage 6.

Extensible bars 10 are slidably mounted on the adjacent faces of the vertical portions of the compressing members, as shown in Fig. 6. Each extensible bar is provided with a downwardly extending pin 11 which extends into an elongated slot in the carriage 6, so that when the carriage 6 is extended and retracted the members 1() are likewise extended and retracted.

` Pneumatic actuating mechanism, comprisingvupper and lower cylinders 12 and 13 respectlvely, mounted substantlally 1n vertical alinement, 4is provided for effecting preliminaryl extension of the compressing members and subsequent movement thereof towards each other. The upper and lower cylinders are provided with pistons 14 and 15 respectively and the upper piston is provided with a piston rod 16 which has rack teeth 17 on its upper end. The lower piston l5 is provided with a downwardly extending piston rod 21. A pinion 18 mounted on lthe supporting structure l meshes with the rack' Ateeth 17 ofthe upper piston rod 16. A bell crank, comprising arms 191and 20,is yrigidly attached to the pinion 18.` The armL 2D of the; bell crank operatively eonnectswith the carriage 6, for projecting-and retractir'ig the latter. i

The lower piston rod 21 is rigidly attached toa rack bar 22 which is provided, at its upper end, with rack teeth 23 on one kside and 24 on the otherJ` The rack teeth 23 and 24 of the bar 22 mesh with spaced pinion segments 26 and\25 4respectively whlch in turnmesh with theteeth ofthe rack bars' 4 of thev compressingl members:A

`An end plate or 'wall 38 is pivotally mounted on the table 1 in advance 'of .the forward extremities of the .compressing members and is free to rotate'abouta substantially verti- .13 respectively.

pressed air, either into the top of the top cylinder-12 or the bottom thereof. The pipe l system 28 also comprises a two-way valve 30. for controllin the flow of compressed air to the top and ottom of the low'er cylinder The valve 30 is operatively connected to the armi19 of the bell crank lever by a link 31. The valve 29 is provided with actuating mechanism comprising a foot pedal 32 operatively connected .to the valve 29 by a lever 33. and a link rod 34. A release valve 35 is also included in the pipe system 28 for reducing the pressure of the air therein when it is desired to reduce the compressive force of the slide bars. The valve 35 is regulated by alever 36 pivoted-to the supporting structure of the table and connected with the valve by links 37. The lower end of the lever 36 is provided with a flange 38 located =in close proximity to the foot pedal, so that it may be engaged by a side- Wise movement of the pedal while the same is moving down. When the Valve 35 is opened by the movement of the lever 36, some of the air in the pipe system is allowed tor escape and the air pressure in the lower cylinder 13 is reduced.

Then thedevice is in operation, the foot pedal 32 is normally in its upper position and the valves 29 and 30 are set to admit airinto the top of the cylinder 12 and the bottom ofthe cylinder 13 respectively. lhc compressing members are retained in their ments thereof are retracted. lVhen the pedal 32 is depressed the valve 29 is reset to A admit air into the bottom `of the upper cylinder 12 and exhaust air from the top thereof. The rack 17 is moved upwardly rotating the pinion 18, projecting the carriage Gand the extensible elements 10 connected therewith and resetting the valve 30 4by movement of the link 31, to. admit-air into the top of the lower cylinder 13 and exhaust air from the bottom thereof. The piston 15 of the lower cylinder 13 is moved downwardly, together with the piston rod 2.1 and the rack bar 22 attached thereto, rotating the pinion segments 25 and 26 and thereby moving the compressing members towards each other. When the pedal 32 is released, it is moved to its upper position by the action of the spring 41 and the valve '21 is reset in its starting position. The ex# tensible elements 10 areretracted and there. after the valve 30 isV reset to-itsstarting posltion and the compressing members 10 are moved apart.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described,; it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

l. A skewer block of the class described comprising a supporting structure, extensible compressing members mounted on said supporting structure and movable relative thereto, and means for automatically extending said members in Onebperation and subsequentlfmoving the same toward each other in a separate o eration.

2. A skewer block orshaping the sides of bacon, comprising a supporting table', movable extensible members mounted on said table for crowding the edge protions of a side of bacon into a predetermmed shape, and pneumatic actuating means associated with said extensible member comprising means for eii'ecting a preliminary extension thereof and a subsequent movement thereof towards each other..

3. A skewer blockfor shaping meat, com prising a table, extensible compressing members movably mounted on said table, an end-forming element pivotally mounted on said table for straightening the end of a side of bacon, and pneumatic means for effecting preliminary extension of said compressing members .and subsequent movement thereof towards each other for crowding the edges of a side of bacon into a substantially rectangular shape, said bars being retracted form the proximity of said end-forming member by said pneumatic means before the bars are moved relative to each other to avoid conliction between the latter and a bacon hanger.

Signed at Chicago this 17th day of December, 1928. A

MICKOLAS DZIEDZIC. JOHN E. COVEY. 

